Palestine Jews Anxious over Rumors of Possible Partition of the Country

August 24, 1944

JERUSALEM (Aug. 23)

Rumors current in Palestine of a possible solution of the Arab-Jewish problem through the partitioning of Palestine, are provoking a good deal of anxiety among all sections of the Jewish population, especially the left-wing laborites.

At a session of the Small Zionist Actions Committee today, members of the Movement for Labor Unity, which constitutes the opposition group within the Jewish Labor Party, insisted that leaders of the Jewish Agency either deny or confirm the rumors with regard to possible partitioning of Palestine. The presidium of the Actions Committee, however, declined to permit an immediate discussion on this subject, and promised to convoke a special session within a fortnight, to be devoted exclusively to the attitude of the Yishuv towards any partition scheme.

Leaders of the Hashomer Hatzair and the Jewish Socialist League today held a joint meeting, called to discuss measures to combat any Allied plan which may involve the partitioning of Palestine. The meeting issued a call to all Jewish workers in Palestine “to fight the danger threatening the Zionist cause and to defend the integrity of the country.” It was decided at the meeting that a delegation be sent to England and to the United States “to mobilize the support of the working masses in the fight against partitioning of Palestine.” The Movement for Labor Unity was urged to join in this fight with the Hashomer Hatzair and the Socialist League.